The Screwduino

August 6, 2015 | 01:21

The Screwduino is a neat solution

The rows of pin header connectors on an Arduino are a practical solution for installing shields and make prototyping a cinch on the test bench. When it comes to installing an Arduino to provide control in the real world, the system...

The rows of pin header connectors on an Arduino are a practical solution for installing shields and make prototyping a cinch on the test bench. When it comes to installing an Arduino to provide control in the real world, the system is less than ideal. Adding a screw shield solves the problem by providing rows of screw terminals but you still need the minimum of one Arduino plus a shield and the finished assembly is bulky.

The Screwduino pares everything back to basics; if you just need the functionality of an Arduino UNO it offers a compact and neat solution.

Key Features of the Screwduino:

• Arduino UNO compatible with Arduino UNO bootloader.
• Select UNO in Arduino IDE to download card.
• Card has no USB connector/chip so you need to use an FTDI download cable or FTDI to USB interface for USB (not supplied).
• You can also download code via ArduinoISP via the ICSP header.
• 4-pin I2C connector for easy attachment of an I2C LCD display and other I2C sensors (like temperature sensors). Beware there are many different I2C pinouts.
• Added 10K ohm pullup resistors (R3 and R4) from the I2C SDA/SCL to +5V If the user doesn't want the resistors, they can snip them out of the circuit.
• Uses through hole parts so that it is easier to assemble. The sole exception is the voltage regulator which is surface mount for heat transfer.
• 5mm pitch screw terminal blocks.
• Reset switch.
• 7-12V DC on standard 2.1mm DC power connector.
• Power selection jumper (FTDI, Regulator, Screw Terminals).
• Four (4) good mounting holes that use 4-40 screws and have more than enough clearance for screw heads, standoffs and/or nuts.

The system will be available as a kit of parts or as a fully assembled and tested board. It is currently up for funding on kickstarter with a hope to raise $500 by the end of the month. Good luck Doug!